Statement Regarding West Suburban Medical Center
Published on March 25, 2026
The Village of Oak Park shares the community’s deep concern by the announcement today that West Suburban Medical Center has suspended all patient care operations effective this week amid a reported financial crisis stemming from a year-long failure of the hospital's electronic medical records billing system.
Village officials are actively monitoring the situation and remain in communication with West Suburban Medical Center’s leadership and the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The Oak Park Fire Department has been on the West Suburban campus today (March 25) and was informed that as of this afternoon, the Emergency Room was no longer accepting ambulances, and that walk-ins were no longer to be taken after 4 p.m. today.
Additionally, the Village learned that Hospital officials are working with approximately 70 patients in their care to assess whether the patients may be either discharged from the Hospital or transported to other healthcare facilities by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 27. Transportation of any current patients will be handled by privately contracted ambulance services, not by the Oak Park Fire Department.
"My heart goes out to every patient, family member and employee affected by this news,” said Village President Vicki Scaman. “Losing access to a hospital, even temporarily, is frightening, and we recognize that for many in our community, West Sub wasn't just the closest option, it was their only option. The Village of Oak Park stands with all of those impacted and we will continue to do everything within our power to support them through this uncertainty."
“From an operational standpoint, our immediate priorities are the continuity of care of Oak Park residents and affected patients, as well as the employment status for the many dedicated workers impacted by this suspension” said Village Manager Kevin J. Jackson. “As longstanding Oak Park institution, West Suburban Medical Center has been certainly a lifeline for our residents and neighbors across the community. This interruption of services is not easy for anyone to navigate, and the Village will do what it can within its purview to minimize disruptions for those affected by the suspension.”
Any residents requiring emergency medical care should continue to call 911. Oak Park emergency services remain fully operational.
About Oak Park - The Village of Oak Park, located just nine miles west of downtown Chicago, offers a distinctive urban/suburban lifestyle in a thriving, multi-cultural community. Well-known for progressive values, tree-lined streets and bustling business districts, Oak Park serves as an ideal place to live, work and play. As a longstanding community of choice, the Village benefits from convenient access to local and regional transit, high-quality public schools, and arts and cultural attractions, including Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio and his acclaimed Unity Temple, which was recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.